RALEIGH: Families and caregivers in need of child care for children up to age 12 can call the child care hotline at 1-888-600-1685 to be connected directly to care options in their community that meet their families’ needs.

"This hotline can help connect families with child care options as this pandemic continues to affect our families. We need to do everything we can to support working parents as we work to beat this virus,” Governor Roy Cooper said.

“We know that families may need extra help finding school-age care options right now, as many schools have started the school year with remote learning only, and others are operating with children onsite on alternate days or weeks to meet social distancing requirements,” said Susan Gale Perry, Chief Deputy Secretary for NCDHHS. “The Child Care Hotline can help families fill that child care gap by providing referrals to available school-age programs.” 

The hotline is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is a collaboration of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) network. Care will be offered by licensed child care providers who agree to meet NCDHHS health and safety guidelines.

As of Aug. 10, there are about 30,000 slots available for school-age children in licensed child care programs across the state. 

For more information about child care during COVID-19, visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov/information/child-care/child-care-information-families.